Better Together
by The Silent Bull
Summary: This story pretends that there was no car accident involving Ana, Mariana and Jesus and instead focuses on Stef and Lena's problems.
1. Chapter 1

**Better Together**

 **Summary:** This story pretends that there was no car accident involving Ana, Mariana and Jesus and instead focuses on Stef and Lena's problems.

 **Notes:** There is sexual content, but nothing overly graphic.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"Stef, your wife has been beating them off with a stick all night."

Stefanie Adams Foster looked up from her glass of white wine and over to her friend Beth. They were all celebrating their friends Jane and Paula's engagement at one of the more upscale bars located along the beach. Stef didn't really feel like coming, but they had been invited weeks ago. There was so much going on at home. There was also the bombshell Lena had dropped on her a few days ago.

Beth was leaned with her back against the bar, staring out into the crowd. Stef mimicked her and her eyes were immediately drawn to her wife. Lena looked beautiful and the black dress she was wearing fit her like a glove. The high heels she was wearing accentuated her already long legs.

"Seriously," Beth continued, "If my wife looked like a model, I would never leave her side in a place like this."

Stef smirked, but didn't say anything. They had met Beth a few years ago at one of Kelly and Jenna's get-togethers. Stef had immediately taken a liking to her after realizing that they both had the same naughty sense of humor and they had remained friends since.

Beth raised an eyebrow as she glanced at a silent Stef. "Wanna talk about it?" she asked, when the blonde made no move to go to her wife.

Stef trusted Beth, but she wasn't sure she should say anything. She chose to generalize instead. "We just have a lot on our plates right now with the twins' birth mom showing up pregnant and trying to make sure Callie's adoption goes through. It's been a rough few months," Stef explained before taking another sip of her wine.

It had been a while since Beth was able to catch up with Stef or Lena and, other than what she'd heard through the grapevine, she wasn't really sure what had been going on with them. "Well, this is perfect then," she smiled, trying to cheer her friend up. "You both can enjoy tonight while it lasts and deal with your problems in the morning."

Stef smiled and sat her glass on the bar. "You're right," she said as she straightened her dress. She realized that if Beth could pick up on the fact that she had barely spoken to her wife all night then others would, too. "I'll see you later," she said, squeezing her friend's hand.

Beth watched Stef make her way through the crowd and sighed. There was obviously more to the story, but she didn't want to pry. Whatever the problem was, she wished nothing but the best for Stef and Lena. She had never seen two people more in love and if Stef and Lena couldn't make it work then they were all doomed.

* * *

Lena watched as her wife made her way toward her and her heart sped up. They had barely spoken to each other over the last few days and what they had said wasn't very kind.

"Hi," she said softly as Stef got closer, surprised when she grabbed her hand.

"Let's go for a walk," Stef said before leading her outside.

Lena was nervous as they continued out to the patio. "What are we doing?" she finally asked as they found a quiet spot. She was disappointed when Stef let go of her hand.

"People were starting to notice that we weren't talking," Stef sighed as she stared out at the beach.

Lena's face fell. She thought maybe Stef was finally ready to discuss what happened. "So, you don't actually want to talk to me."

"Well, what do you expect, Lena? You kissed another woman!" Stef said as she turned around to face her wife.

"I didn't kiss her! She kissed me!" Lena defended.

"Well, you didn't stop her!" Stef yelled.

"I told you what happened," Lena said slowly, forcing herself to calm down. "Monte brought champaign to celebrate the grant…"

"Faculty drinking on a public school campus…yeah, that's professional," Stef said sarcastically as she turned back to the beach. "Be sure to tell Monte that she's doing a wonderful job as principal."

Lena stayed quiet, the sounds of the ocean and distant laughter the only noise. When she first told Stef about the kiss between her and Monte, she was heartbroken at the look of devastation on her wife's face. She felt so guilty and foolish for allowing herself to be caught in a situation that would jeopardize her marriage.

"You know, the day it happened, I was crying," Lena began, needing to explain everything to her wife whether she wanted to hear it or not.

Stef turned around and stared intently. Lena hadn't told her that part.

"I was telling Monte how worried I was about everything…the kids, adopting Ana's baby," Lena said, fighting the urge to cry again, "my marriage."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Stef asked softly, hurt, her eyes welling with tears.

Lena laughed humorlessly. "Do you know how many times I've tried, Stef? Either we're interrupted by the kids or you're off making some major decision about our family without me!" She knew Stef was angry, but she was angry, too.

"Right," Stef said, her anger flaring again. "So, once again, it's my fault. It's my fault you kissed Monte."

"I'm not saying this to blame you! I'm saying this because if we don't get it figured out, it's only going to get worse," Lena said, frustrated by her wife's failure to understand that something needed to change.

Stef sighed and looked around to see that the patio was becoming more and more crowded. "We need to get home," she said, not wanting to discuss it anymore, especially not in a public place where all of their friends could hear.

Lena took a deep breath and fought the urge to break down. She didn't want to be at the party any more than Stef did, but the thought of going home and pretending like everything was okay for the sake of the children sounded exhausting.

* * *

Later that night, Lena was in the bedroom changing her clothes and thinking about the conversation she and Stef had on the balcony. They said goodbye to Paula and Jane and few other friends before heading to the car for a silent trip home.

When they arrived, Mariana and Jesus were in the living room, watching television and talking with Ana. From the looks of it, they were all enjoying themselves. Stef had gone to check on the rest of their children while Lena chatted with the twins for a moment.

Her eyes had drifted down to Ana's very pregnant stomach and she couldn't help but think of Frankie. Ana's presence was painful for her and she didn't think Stef even noticed.

* * *

The next morning, Lena woke up late and made her way downstairs to find Stef sitting at the kitchen table alone, reading the paper.

"Good morning," Lena said softly as she looked around to see what was left for breakfast. She helped herself to a cold piece of bacon and a cup of coffee.

"Morning," Stef said softly as she watched her wife over the top of the paper.

"Where is everyone today?"

Stef laid the paper down and took her glasses off. "Brandon's hanging out with Mike. Ana needed to go run a few errands and the twins decided to help her. Jude and Callie decided to spend some time together at the mall." Lena nodded and Stef continued to watch her. She knew they needed to really talk and, with the house empty, there was no excuse not to.

"Don't forget, my mom will be here Tuesday," Lena said as she stared down into her coffee.

Stef had completely forgotten. "Um, my mom called this morning. She'll be here tomorrow."

Lena raised an eyebrow. That's just what they needed, two critical, busy body mothers to join in the chaos. "I'll be out of town this week," Lena reminded. There was a conference in L.A. for her job.

"That's right," Stef said as she rubbed her eyes. "Is there any way you can get out of it? It's pretty horrible timing," she said with a small smile attempting to keep the conversation light.

"Actually," Lena began softly, "I think it might be a good thing." She looked at her wife.

"What do you mean?" Stef asked confused. "There's so much going on right now with the kids and Ana…"

"But our moms will be here to help out," Lena said. "There's really not much we can do until the baby comes." She glanced at Stef before speaking again. "I think maybe we both need some time…just to think about things."

Stef couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You think we need a separation?" she asked, her heart pounding.

Lena sighed at her wife's tendency to overreact. "Stef, it's only for a week. I'll be back on Friday."

Stef huffed. "Lena, couples only separate when they're thinking about splitting up. I should know. I've been through it before," she said as she stood up from the table and paced over to the sink before turning around to face Lena again.

Lena shook her head and quickly squashed her wife's fears. "Stef, I love you more than anything in this world," she said as her eyes welled with tears. "But being here with Ana…it breaks my heart seeing her every day."

Stef felt awful as she watched the tears fall down her wife's face.

"I understand why you brought her here…I do…but…seeing her only reminds me of the baby I never got to hold or kiss," Lena sniffled. "I just need some time to get used to the idea of being around her every day."

"Maybe…maybe I can figure out someplace else for her to stay," Stef said softly as she moved closer to Lena, desperate to try and fix the situation. Now it was her turn to feel guilty. She remembered how much it upset Lena, knowing that Ana would get another chance at having a child when she had given up the first two. She should have been more sensitive.

"No," Lena said, shaking her head and wiping her tears. "It's, too, late. The twins wouldn't understand why we would ask her to leave and this whole situation has been confusing enough for everyone." She stood from the table and walked her coffee cup to the kitchen sink. "I'll be fine, Stef. This trip will just give me a chance to be alone and clear my mind."

Stef watched Lena make her way out of the kitchen and she couldn't help the feeling of alarm that came over her. She and Lena had built something so special and the thought of it falling apart was dreadful. Not for the first time did she wonder if adopting Ana's baby was really the right thing. She and Lena both seemed to have a calling in life to help others, especially children, but at what cost to themselves and their marriage?

 **To be continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"So how long are you gonna be gone for?" Brandon asked Monday morning as everyone sat around the breakfast table. An extra stool had been added days ago for Ana who sat quietly at the end next to Callie.

"Until Friday," Lena answered before taking a sip of her orange juice. "There will be lots of education related workshops and lectures," she explained.

Stef pushed her scrambled eggs around her plate as she listened to her wife.

"Ugh! Sounds boring," Mariana said. "But at least you get to go to L.A. for a week! If you see any famous people, be sure to get a picture or maybe even an autograph!"

Lena smiled at her daughter's excitement.

"How long is the drive?" Jude asked as he cut into his pancakes.

"It's about three hours," Lena said, looking at the clock on the wall. "I should actually get going pretty soon if I want to make it in time for orientation."

Everyone was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a small groan coming from Ana.

"Sorry," she said with a shy smile. "She's kicking really hard this morning."

Mariana stood up and went to her. "Can I feel?" Ana nodded and Marian gently placed her hand on Ana's belly. "Oh my god!" she smiled. "Jesus come feel."

Jesus glanced around the table for a moment before moving next to his sister and placed his hand on Ana's stomach, a smile spreading across his face.

Stef glanced at her wife to see the small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She reached over to grab her hand and found some comfort when Lena squeezed back.

Callie watched the exchange before turning back to her breakfast.

"Okay, guys, I have to get going!" Lena announced as she stood up and cleared her dishes away. "Give me hugs and kisses!"

Stef watched with a smile as the children crowded around their mama and bombarded her with affection. "Alright, alright! Give the lady some space," she said as she pushed through the crowd and wrapped an arm around her wife's waist.

"Walk me out," Lena said as she took Stef's hand. "You guys be good for your mom and your grandmothers," she yelled as they walked to the front door.

Stef grabbed Lena's bag and walked with her outside to the car. "Did you already get gas?" she asked.

"Yes," Lena answered as she watched Stef heft her bag into the trunk.

"Do you have something to snack on while you're driving?"

"Yes, and if I need anything, I'll just stop at rest area," Lena said.

Stef nodded. She wasn't really sure of what else to say. She didn't want her to leave.

Lena picked up on her wife's anxiety and grabbed her hand. "Stef, it's okay. It's just work."

Stef looked at the ground uncomfortably. "Will Monte be there, too?" she asked quietly.

Lena closed her eyes as the guilt from what happened with Monte came rushing back to her. "No," she said softly. "I wouldn't have agreed to go if she was," Lena tried to explain.

Stef wasn't really sure what the difference was considering they worked together every day anyway, but she didn't want to argue right before Lena was about to get on the road. "Okay," she said, pulling Lena in for a hug. "Please, be careful and call me as soon as you get there."

Lena held her wife tightly, her face buried in her neck. "I will. I love you."

"I love you, too," Stef said before she pulled away slightly and kissed her wife's lips. After she had been shot, she and Lena promised never to go away angry and it was promise she intended to keep, even if things were hard at the moment.

* * *

Later that evening, Stef arrived home to find everyone, including her mother, in the kitchen.

"Stefanie!" Sharon said as she pulled her into a tight hug.

"Hi, mom," Stef said. Her mom drove her nuts most of the time, but today it felt comforting to have her close. "Hi, my babies!" Stef said as she turned to the table to greet her children. "Hi, Ana," Stef said, smiling at the quiet woman, who returned the greeting.

"Ana here helped me make dinner," Sharon said as she went to the oven to pull out a warm plate of green beans, mashed potatoes and baked chicken for her daughter.

"Looks delicious," Stef said as she sat down. As she listened to everyone talk about their day, she couldn't help but miss her wife and wonder what she was doing.

* * *

When Lena got back to her hotel room that evening, she tossed her things onto the small loveseat and immediately began undressing for a shower. It had been a long day of orientation, meeting people and discussing all of the different lectures and workshops that would be taking place throughout the week. It was nice to hear other viewpoints and to know that there were other administrators out there facing the exact same problems she was at Anchor Beach. It was nice to talk to people who understood.

After adjusting the water temperature, Lena quickly piled her curls on top of her head in a bun and stepped into the shower. The hot water felt wonderful after such a long day and she simply stood there savoring it as her muscles relaxed.

Eventually, her mind wandered to her family. She had thought about them all day actually, especially Stef. A few of the other administrators had even brought their spouses with them and Lena thought about how nice it would be if Stef could arrange to come with her in the future. But then she laughed at the thought. Stef barely listened when Lena tried to talk about her job at home, so she couldn't imagine her actually wanting to come to an event like this.

Then she thought about how unfair she was being, considering she didn't exactly encourage her wife to talk about her job either. The very thought of Stef being hurt devastated her. Lena remembered the first time Stef had tried to talk to her about her job after they had moved in together.

 _"He aimed his gun right at me!" Stef said one evening as they sat in the kitchen having dinner. She took a large bite of her salad, completely oblivious to the expression of horror on her girlfriend's face._

 _Lena listened quietly, not even touching her food as Stef continued. She was glad Brandon wasn't around to hear the story._

 _"But luckily the guy wasn't a very good shot," Stef chuckled. "It was completely off and ended up in the wall someplace."_

 _"Will you excuse me for a minute?" Lena said with a tiny smile as she made her way to the bathroom. She shut the door behind her softly and closed her eyes tightly, but it didn't stop the tears from leaking through. Grabbing the nearest bath towel, she buried her face in it, hoping it would muffle out the sounds of her crying._

 _Lena wasn't sure how much time passed when she heard the knock on the door. She collected herself as best she could, hoping that Stef couldn't tell she had been crying, and opened the door._

 _"Love, what's wrong?" Stef asked, a look of worry on her face._

 _Lena's face scrunched up as more tears came and she buried her face in Stef's neck when she hugged her._

Lena gave a small smile at the memory as she stepped out of the shower and grabbed a robe. She had eventually managed to say what was wrong between hiccups and Stef had apologized for scaring her. From then on, other than a few occasions, Stef rarely talked about the details of her job.

As Lena got comfortable on the bed, she realized that maybe she needed to be more open about listening to Stef. She knew her job wasn't all bullets and fighting. Stef dealt with a lot of things that were emotional and traumatic. It was a lot for even the toughest person to deal with and if she could help Stef carry that emotional burden in any way, even if it was just listening, she would.

* * *

"Well, you've been awfully quiet tonight," Sharon said as she joined her daughter in her bedroom with a cup of tea. The kids had all gone to their rooms hours ago and Ana was resting in the living room.

Stef looked up from the magazine she was flipping through as her mother sat down next to her on Lena's side of the bed. "I'm just tired, mom."

Sharon watched her daughter for a moment before reclining on the bed next to her and glancing casually around the bedroom, taking in all of the pictures of the smiling family. "You miss your wife, don't you?"

"I do," Stef said softly and it was true. She debated on elaborating. Sometimes it was hard to talk to her mother, but she realized that she didn't really have anyone else. Usually, Lena was the person she confided in.

Sharon smirked, wondering whether or not Stef would get mad if she teased her a little. "You know, I remember when your father and I first got married. Sometimes he would work a double shift and I'd be in the house all alone, missing him," she smiled. "But then you came along and it'd just be me and my little girl, keeping each other company while you're father was at work." She decided to leave out the part where toward the end of their marriage, she dreaded it when Frank came home.

Stef smiled at her mother.

"Now, look at you. Over ten years and you and your wife are still like lovesick teenagers," Sharon laughed. "Lena hasn't even been gone a full day."

Stef sighed and closed her magazine.

Sharon sighed, too. "Now, don't get mad. I'm only teasing you," she said, patting her daughter's leg.

"It's not that, mom," Stef said as she took her glasses off. "Lena and I… It's been hard lately."

Sharon sat quietly for a moment. "Go on," she said eventually.

"There's just so much going on," Stef began as she rested her head against the headboard. "The kids are all so busy. We're trying our best to adopt Callie and deal with her birthfather, and now this thing with Ana and adopting the baby…" Stef said. She decided not to mention what happened with Monte. "Lena and I barely have time for each other and when we do manage to get a moment we end up arguing about something."

Sharon could hear the sadness in her daughter's voice. She always worried that one day Stef would try and take on more than she could handle and it was finally catching up to her.

"Well, are you going to say anything?" Stef asked.

"Do you _want_ me to say anything?" Sharon asked cautiously.

"Mother…"

"Hey, I'm just trying to be a good listener!" Sharon defended.

"I just poured my heart out to you, mom. I assumed you'd have _something_ to say," Stef said.

Sharon thought for a moment. "You say Lena's going to be gone all week?"

"Yes. Until Friday."

"Well…why aren't you with her then?" she asked as if it was the most obvious solution.

Stef looked at her mom confused. "It's not a vacation, mom. She's working!"

"Psh!" Sharon dismissed with a wave of her hand. "Don't you ever watch TV? Events like that are just excuses for people in any given industry to have a good time."

"You're not helping," Stef said, closing her eyes.

Sharon grabbed her daughter's hand. "Stefanie, listen to me. Whatever's going on between you and Lena, you need to work it out together."

"I can't just leave," Stef said. "I have to make sure Ana is taken care of and Callie needs to feel safe…"

"Stephanie!" Sharon said, cutting her daughter off. "You need to take care of your wife."

Stef looked at her mom, the seriousness in her eyes.

"You and Lena have made the most beautiful family, but if you don't take care of each other," she said softly, "It could all fall apart."

Stef blinked away tears at the very thought. She couldn't imagine life without Lena and her children.

"Besides," Sharon continued, "I'm here. Dana will be here tomorrow," she said, rolling her eyes, which caused Stef to laugh. "You have people to help you, dear. Take advantage of it. You can't do everything on your own."

Stef sat quietly contemplating her mother's advice, her mind working to find a way to make it happen.

"To be honest, Stefanie, you're a bit of a control freak…but, I'll admit…you probably get it from me."

 **To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Stef pulled into the parking lot of the hotel Lena was staying at and took a deep breath as she turned the car off. That morning, she had explained to her children that she was going to L.A. to surprise their mama. She thought for sure Captain Roberts would give her a hard time for requesting vacation at the last minute, but surprisingly the woman had been happy to let her go.

It was nearing three o'clock and Stef wondered if Lena would even be in her room. She looked at the sheet of paper that had the hotel's information on it to make sure she knew what room her wife was staying in and headed inside.

After stepping off of the elevator and onto the third floor, Stef made her way to room 309. She stood in front of the door for a few minutes, gathering her courage and knocked quickly. She prayed Lena wouldn't be mad.

When twenty seconds went by and no one answered, she began to think that maybe Lena wasn't in. She raised her fist to knock again, but quickly pulled it away when the door was snatched open.

"Lena," she said softly as her eyes roamed over her wife's beautiful form. She looked confused and Stef knew she needed to explain quickly. "Please, don't be mad," she started as she adjusted the bag on her shoulder.

Lena reached out to pull her inside and shut the door behind her.

"I know you said that maybe we needed some time apart, but I thought that maybe we should…" Stef was interrupted by the feel her wife's lips against her own. Her overnight bag fell from her shoulder and she wrapped her arms around Lena's waist, returning the kiss with passion.

* * *

Sharon and Dana sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee and waiting for their grandchildren to arrive home from school. Ana had excused herself earlier, mentioning that she had a few things to do. Sharon had offered to drive her, but she insisted on taking a taxi.

"I could make a nice salad and we could have baked salmon," Dana suggested as they tried to figure out what to make for dinner.

"I don't really like salmon. How about meatloaf?" Sharon said.

Dana hid an eye roll behind her coffee cup. She had arrived thinking she would be greeted by Stef and her grandchildren, only to find Sharon and Ana on the other side of the door. Her daughter hadn't told her that the twins' mother was staying with them or that she was pregnant. She would be sure to question Lena just as soon as she spoke to her again. Sharon had filled her in on some of the details, including how Stef had gone to surprise her wife. That, she could approve of. Meanwhile, she had Sharon to deal with.

* * *

Stef lost track of how much time had passed as she continued to trade long, deep kisses with her wife. It was a much better reception than she had hoped for.

Lena finally pulled her mouth away from Stef's to catch her breath and buried her face in her wife's neck. "I'm glad you're here," she whispered.

Stef held her, running her hands soothingly along Lena's back. She pulled away gently to look into her eyes. "I thought you might be upset," she said.

Lena gave her a small watery smile. "I missed you. I've barely been gone a full day and I missed you so much," she said, kissing her wife again. She thought work would take her mind off of Stef, but she found that she wasn't paying attention during the lectures.

Stef felt Lena walking them towards the bed as they continued to embrace. She knew they needed to talk; she was sure Lena knew it, too, but she was desperate to be close to the woman she loved more than anything.

They helped each other undress before falling into the middle of the bed. Stef lay on top of her wife, kissing her slowly, her tongue pushing past full lips. Lena moaned as her hands roamed her wife's body, traveling down the smooth skin of her back to the firm flesh of her behind.

Stef rolled her hips against Lena's as her kisses trailed from her lips to her neck. "I love you," she whispered as her kisses moved to her wife's breasts.

"I love you," Lena returned softly, sighing as Stef's lips and tongue covered her nipple. She buried her fingers in soft blonde hair and gently pulled Stef back up to kiss her again, her tongue gliding over thin lips. She rolled them until her wife's back was against the bed and she was the one on top.

Stef smiled lazily as her wife took over. She felt Lena's lips and tongue travel down her body slowly, kissing her breasts and stomach, her wild curls tickling against her skin. Her breath caught as Lena moved lower, teasing the skin just below her belly button before moving further down. Stef moaned as she felt Lena's tongue gliding through the sensitive flesh between her legs.

"Mmm… Lena," she sighed. She looked down, gathering her wife's dark curls in her hand and her eyes fell closed as she enjoyed the sensations spreading through her body.

* * *

Dana sat at the kitchen table happy to be surrounded by her grandchildren. She decided that it wasn't worth arguing with Sharon about the meatloaf and was surprised to find herself enjoying it.

"So, tell us about your day?" Sharon said.

"Same old," said Mariana, head resting in her hand.

"What's the matter?" Dana asked. "You usually always have an interesting story to tell."

"Oh, nothing, except for the fact that all of my friends are getting their driver's licenses and pretty soon, I'll be the only one still asking for rides," she pouted.

"Well don't feel, too, bad," Callie said. "I'm almost seventeen and I still don't have my license yet."

"I wouldn't say that, too, loud," Mariana muttered as she pushed her food around.

Callie shook her head.

"Kids these days," Sharon said with a wave of her hand. "Everyone is so busy with their social networking and iPhones, trying to keep up with what everyone else is doing. Honey, if it hasn't happened yet then maybe it isn't supposed to happen yet."

Mariana refrained from rolling her eyes out of respect for her grandma, but she found her advice unhelpful. "Well, it'd just be nice. After moms adopt Ana's baby, they'll be so busy that I'm sure it will be nice to have someone else in the house to help with errands."

No one noticed the confused look that came across Dana's face at Mariana's comment.

"Yeah, like you really want to get your license just to help moms," Jesus teased.

"Maybe Brandon could teach you," Jude said with a sly smile as he took another bite of his meatloaf.

"Wait, what?" Brandon said, looking up from his plate. He had tuned out most of the conversation until her heard his name.

"Oh my god! Why didn't I think of that before?" Mariana said, excited about finding a solution to her problem.

"Umm, I'm not sure that's such a good idea and I'm pretty sure we would need to run it by moms first," Brandon said, glaring at Jude.

"Fine," Mariana said as she snatched her phone off the table. "I'll call them right now."

"No!" Sharon said as she held out her hand to halt Mariana's progress. "This isn't anything that can't be discussed when your moms get back."

"But I just want to…"

"Sharon is right," Dana said as she sat her fork down and looked around at her grandchildren who had fallen quiet. "I think all of you are old enough to realize that your mothers work hard and they have sacrificed a lot to make sure you all are happy and well taken care of. They don't ask anything of you in return, but it's time to start being a little less selfish and a little more giving," she finished.

"Do you kids realize that your mothers never even got a honeymoon?" Sharon asked.

Callie looked down guiltily.

"By some miracle, Stef and Lena have managed to finally be able to spend some time together," Dana continued. "And we are not going to bother them. For the next week, if any of you have a problem, you either come to me or Grandma Sharon."

"That's right," Sharon agreed. "Your moms love you all more than anything, but they deserve some uninterrupted time alone and we are all going to see to it that they get it. Understood?"

Five heads nodded.

* * *

Stef awoke to the sound of a door closing softly and watched through sleepy eyes as Lena came into the bedroom area dressed in a robe and carrying a large tray. She stretched languidly and rolled over to follow Lena with her eyes.

"Hi," Lena said with a small smile as she sat the tray carefully on the bed, before joining her wife and leaning over to kiss her hello.

"Mmm," Stef moaned softly as she returned the kiss. "How long have I been asleep?" They had taken their time making love to each other, in no hurry for the first time in a long time. She couldn't even remember the last time they made love in the middle of the day.

"Only about an hour. I ordered dinner for us," Lena said as she brushed some of Stef's hair away from her face. She knew they still had a lot to talk about, but it was nice to be alone with her wife without interruption.

Stef sat up and pulled the sheet around her chest as Lena pulled the tray closer. There was lasagna, salad, and even chocolate cake for dessert. "I hope I'm not keeping you from work," she said, taking a bite of food.

"No, I was done for the day anyway," Lena said. "I'm glad you're here." She took a few bites of her food, suddenly nervous. "Why did you decide to come?"

Stef sat her plate aside and rested against the headboard. "I realized that I was worrying about everyone and everything except you…us," Stef began softly. "And that if we're broken then none of this will work."

Lena sat her plate aside also, her appetite disappearing as she and Stef began their long overdue talk.

"Lena, I love you more than anything and I realized that I've been taking you for granted and I'm sorry," Stef said, her voice catching.

Lena's eyes welled with tears as she reached for Stef. She kissed her lips and her cheek before pulling her into a hug. "Stef," she said, pulling away slightly and resting their foreheads together, "I fell in love with you the moment I laid eyes on you and I haven't looked at anyone else since. You have to know that's still true. I don't want anyone else but you and I'm so sorry for what happened with Monte…for allowing myself to be put in that position," Lena said. She was desperate for her wife to know that the kiss didn't mean anything to her. She had considered Monte a friend, but that was the extent of it. There were no romantic feelings on her part.

"I know," Stef said as she pulled Lena into another hug. It was still difficult to think about her wife being so close to another woman, but she had to trust Lena if they were going to work through it.

* * *

"Can you believe how serious grandmas were being?" Mariana said later as she and Callie sat in their room doing homework. "It's not like moms never get any time together."

Callie looked up from her math homework. "They don't," she said.

"Well, that's not our fault," Mariana said, refusing to take any of the blame. "Maybe if they trusted us to stay home by ourselves..."

"Why should they?" Callie asked. "Look what happened last time with the party."

"That was only one time and besides, they still can't prove that we actually had a party," she smirked.

Callie couldn't believe her sister's selfishness. "Mariana, can't you tell that Stef and Lena have been stressed lately?"

Mariana shrugged. "I think they're happy. They'll get to adopt the new baby soon and mama will get to have the baby she's always wanted," she smiled.

Callie laughed in disbelief. "It's not as simple as that, Mariana. Did you ever think that asking them to adopt Ana's baby or going behind their backs about it was…I don't know…insensitive? It hasn't been that long since Lena lost Frankie and you can't just expect any baby to replace her and make them forget about her," she finished.

"Well, it's not just any baby," Mariana said, becoming angry at Callie's tone. "It's happens to be my sister."

"So then what?" Callie asked with a shrug. "What if Ana gets pregnant again? Do expect Stef and Lena to keep adopting babies or taking care of everyone else's mistakes?"

"They wouldn't have agreed to adopt the baby if they didn't really want to," Mariana argued.

"Did you ever think that maybe they did it because they didn't want to hurt you or Jesus?"

Mariana glared at her. "What business is it of yours anyway?"

Callie laughed. "It's all of our business! We all live here. Everything isn't just about you, Mariana."

Mariana watched stunned as Callie grabbed her books and left the room in anger.

* * *

"Well, I think we handled that very well," Dana said later as she any Sharon relaxed with a glass of wine in the living room. Ana had called to say that she would be spending a few nights away with her parents.

"We make a pretty good team, don't we?" Sharon smiled. "Stef and Lena should listen to us more often."

"Speaking of," Dana said, turning to face Sharon more fully. "What's this about them adopting Ana's baby?"

* * *

Stef reclined against her wife in the hotel bathtub, feeling better than she had in weeks. They had continued to talk about how each other had been feeling over the past months and although some things were difficult to hear, the honesty had been cathartic for both women.

Stef was sad to learn that Lena felt like Stef didn't really need her anymore or care about what she thought, citing all of the decisions that had been made without her.

 _"Honey, I know we don't always agree, but we have to talk about these things together,"_ Lena had said.

Stef knew she was right and that she had a bad habit of making snap decisions without always thinking them through. Not for the first time did she wish she had handled the Ana situation differently and there was the fact that the plan for Callie to become emancipated almost completely backfired.

"Are you okay?" Lena asked as she rubbed her wife's shoulders, watching the warm water and suds glisten along her skin.

Stef ran her hands over Lena's long legs on either side of her. "I'm fine," she answered sweetly as she turned to offer a smile over her shoulder. "It's been a long time since we've done something as simple as taking a bath together."

Lena smiled as her hands brushed lightly over her wife's breast and moved down to her stomach, her finger's stopping just below Stef's belly button. "Remember the first time we ever went away together?" she asked, her lips pressed against Stef's ear.

Stef smiled brightly at the memory. "How could I forget," she said as she relaxed against her wife. It had been Lena's birthday weekend and what was meant to be a romantic, relaxing get away at a luxury spa had turned into a bit of a nightmare when they ended up at a cheap motel instead due to a reservation mix-up and sports conference.

"We couldn't keep our hands off of each other." Stef smiled at the memories. Their relationship was in its beginning stages back then and they were madly in love. She quickly realized that the setting didn't matter and it was the person she was with that made the experience so special. Being with Lena had awakened a desire inside of her that she never knew existed.

Lena kissed Stef's cheek. "I know it can't always be like that," she said softly, "Especially now with the new baby on the way, but I want you to know that I still feel that way. We have to find time for us…even if it means something as simple as dinner and a movie."

"I know. I still feel that way, too," Stef agreed as she slid her hands over the long fingers resting against her stomach. Her head rested against Lena's shoulder and she sighed. "Speaking of the baby," she began quietly. "I keep wondering if maybe we made the wrong decision." Lena became so quiet and still behind her that Stef wondered if she'd upset her.

"A part of me feels the same way," Lena said finally. "I know it's been months, but I feel like I'm still grieving for Frankie and I don't want to take Ana's baby just to try and somehow replace her."

Stef's heart broke at the emotion in her wife's voice. "I know, love, I know," she comforted. "Not a day goes by that I don't think about her."

Lena sighed. "So…what should we do?"

Stef thought about the confusion and anger that would come from the twins if they changed their mind about adopting Ana's baby. Was it too late to change their minds? What if Ana decided that she wanted to be a part of the baby's life later on? She was already involved in Mariana and Jesus's life. It would almost be impossible to keep her from interacting with the new baby on some level.

"I don't know," Stef said. "There's still so much to consider." It wasn't lost on her that these were all things she should have thought about and discussed with Lena before moving Ana in.

"Maybe we should just take the rest of this week and really think about it," Lena said. "And by the time we get back home we'll stick to whatever we decide, once and for all."

Stef simply nodded, wondering why their lives were always so complicated.

 **To be continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

As the week continued, Sharon and Dana continued running the Adams Foster household the way only grandmothers could. All of the children had adhered to the rule of not calling their mothers. Dana had sent a text just to assure Stef and Lena that everything was fine, but other than that there had been no contact.

One evening, Dana made her way upstairs to Stef and Lena's bedroom to find Sharon sitting in the chair reading a magazine. They had been sharing the space.

"Is everyone settled in?" Sharon asked without looking up.

"Yes," Dana said as she sat on the bed and leaned back against the headboard. "I think Brandon might still be working on some music, but everyone else is asleep."

Sharon smiled. "I'm so proud of him. I hope he becomes rich and famous one day."

"Where does he get his musical talent?" Dana asked.

Sharon huffed. "Certainly not from me. I think Mike had an uncle who played the guitar."

Dana's mind wandered to what Sharon had told her about Stef and Lena adopting Ana's baby. She didn't think it was a good idea and she debated whether or not she should discuss it with Lena.

"Ana has been spending a lot of time with her parents this week," Dana said. "Is that normal?"

"I'm not really sure," Sharon answered as she looked up from her magazine. "It is a little crowded around here these days. Maybe she just wants to give everyone some space."

Dana nodded, but she wasn't so sure.

* * *

The week seemed to pass quickly, but Stef and Lena had taken every opportunity they could to just be together. Lena still had lectures and workshops to attend and she was secretly giddy when she had managed to talk Stef into attending a lecture with her about violence in schools. Stef had met some of the other administrators and listened proudly as her wife debated intelligently about the topics at hand.

Stef would join Lena for lunch each day and they had even managed to spend some time shopping and enjoying L.A. By the time the weekend rolled around, most of their time was spent in their hotel room, talking, listening and reaffirming their love for one another.

One evening, Stef walked out of the bathroom to see her wife dressed in the hotel robe, the sash tied loosely around her waist. She was standing in front of her suitcase with a pair of underwear in her hand.

"No need for those," Stef said casually with a smirk as she made her way over to the bed.

Lena grinned as she dropped them back into her suitcase and turned around to see Stef's robe falling to the floor, revealing her wonderfully naked body. Immediately, she felt heat spreading through her own body at the sight and went to join her wife.

Stef crawled across the bed and knelt to pull Lena into a kiss. "This week has been wonderful," she said as her kisses trailed down.

Lena tilted her head to give Stef better access as she felt her lips and tongue caressing her collar bone. She could only moan her agreement as she enjoyed her wife's touch.

Stef pushed the robe off Lena's shoulders to expose soft, bronze skin, fresh and fragrant from their shower. Her kisses moved lower to Lena's breast and she wasted no time in capturing a pert nipple, lavishing it before moving on to the other.

Lena panted as she buried her fingers into blonde hair. "Stef…" She felt herself being pulled onto the bed and fell against the pillows as she enjoyed the weight of her wife's body against her own.

They kissed and kissed, hands roaming slowly, kneading and caressing as they savored their precious time alone. Eventually, Stef slid her thigh between Lena's and their hips rocked together slowly and deliberately when their need had built too much to ignore.

Stef buried her face in her wife's neck and hair as the sounds of their heavy breathing filled the room. "Lena…" she moaned as her climax quickly approached. She felt Lena's hands gripping her and forcing their hips together tightly as their movements became more frantic.

Lena groaned as her pleasure reached its peak and held onto her wife tightly as the waves coursed through her hips. She heard Stef's cry of pleasure above her and a slow smile came to her lips as she continued to hold her.

As their bodies calmed and their breathing slowed to normal, Stef rolled them until they lay facing each other. She sighed deeply and smiled at Lena before leaning in to give her lazy kisses.

"I love you," Lena whispered as she returned the kisses, her hand caressing Stef's back.

"I love you, too," Stef said.

Lena watched as her wife's eyes fell closed. "This week has been like a dream," she said softly, smiling when Stef nodded sleepily.

"Do you realize how long it's been since we've been able to sleep naked?" Stef asked. "The kids are cramping our style."

Lena giggled. "Well we better enjoy it while we can. When we get back home, it's back to pajamas."

* * *

Sunday came quickly and Stef and Lena had made it home by lunchtime, happily greeted by their family, including Ana.

Lena hugged and kissed her mother who smiled and fussed with her curls before her look turned firm. "You and I need to have a talk," she said. Lena's face fell as she watched her mother move to greet Stef.

"You guys must be tired from your trip," Sharon said as she hooked her arm through Lena's. "There's plenty to eat for lunch."

Everyone gathered in the kitchen and Stef and Lena sat next to each other, happy as their children rambled on excitedly about their week.

"Brandon said he would teach us how to drive," Mariana said with a grin.

Dana shook her head at Mariana's relentlessness.

"I said no such thing," Brandon argued. Jude laughed.

"So how was your trip?" Callie asked.

"It was wonderful," Stef said as she looked at her wife adoringly. "Mama and I really needed to spend some time together." Lena smiled.

"Yeah, it was like another extended baby moon," Mariana said. Callie rolled her eyes.

Lena glanced at her mother who looked at her sternly and it suddenly dawned on her what their conversation was going to be about.

"Speaking of the baby, how is everything, Ana?" Stef asked looking at the reserved woman. She and Lena had talked extensively about what they should do about Ana. Lena had recalled her conversation with Timothy about integrity and they eventually decided that they needed to honor their word.

But the decision hadn't been made solely out of obligation. They talked a lot about Frankie and it had helped tremendously in the healing process for both of them. In the end, they both came to the decision that they still had room in their hearts to love and care for this new child.

"Everything is fine," Ana smiled. "Dana was nice enough to take me to my doctor's appointment."

Lena looked a little shocked at the fact.

Dana kept a straight face. To be honest, her act had been done out of nosiness more so than kindness.

"Um…I actually have some news," Ana began as everyone gave her their attention. She was suddenly nervous. "I've been spending a lot of time with my parents lately and getting to know them again."

Lena looked at Stef worriedly. Neither of them were aware that Ana even had a relationship with her parents. She glanced at the twins who looked especially pensive.

"I've been thinking that maybe I should keep the baby after all," she said quietly, glancing around the table nervously. She continued when no one said anything. "Stef, Lena…I'm so grateful to you both for everything you've done for me and for taking care of Mariana and Jesus when I was too selfish to do so." Her eyes welled with tears. "But I think that its way past time for me to stop being selfish and take more control of my life," she said, wiping her eyes. "I don't want to give up on this baby. I don't want to make the same mistake again. My parents want to help me and I think I should let them." She looked at the twins. Mariana's face was wet with tears and Jesus stared at a spot on the table.

"If your moms allow it, I'd still like you to be a part of this baby's life and get to know your grandparents better," she said with a watery smile. She sighed and stood from the table. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking to Lena and Stef who sat expressionless.

* * *

Shortly after her announcement, Ana had gathered the few belongings she owned and took a cab to her parents' house. Everyone else had scattered to process the news.

Stef and Lena watched carefully as Mariana and Jesus walked her out. When they came back in Mariana had run upstairs to her room, tears pouring down her face. Jesus approached them nervously and ended up telling them everything that happened. How Mariana had approached their grandparents and how they wanted to adopt Ana's baby and help her. Too shocked to deal with the confession, they had sent him to his room.

Stef quietly grabbed Lena's hand and led her out into the quiet of the backyard. "Tell me what you're thinking, love?" she said, concerned about her wife's state of mind.

Lena sighed and shook her head. "To be honest, I don't really know what to think," she said softly as she sat down on the steps of the deck. "All I know right now is that there's nothing we can do about it. No papers have been signed. She can legally do whatever she wants."

Stef sat next to her wife and sighed. "The twins looked devastated, but I don't know if it's because they're upset that Ana changed her mind or because all of this has gotten so messy."

"I feel horrible for saying this," Lena said as she looked at Stef, "But as hard as this is, I think it's better that it's happening now rather than later." She tried to blink away the tears that were forming in her eyes. "It was hard enough losing Frankie," she explained. "I don't think I could take it if we had fallen in love with Ana's baby, only to have her taken from us in the end."

Stef wrapped an arm around Lena, pulling her closer, fighting her own tears.

* * *

Dana and Sharon stood in the kitchen, watching their daughters from the window.

"The nerve of that woman," Dana said angry as she took a seat at the table.

"I know," Sharon whispered. "And after all they've done to help her." She sat a cup of coffee down in front of Dana and joined her at the table.

"This was a horrible idea. They should have never agreed to adopt that baby in the first place," Dana ranted. She knew how horribly it had hurt her daughter to lose Frankie. In her opinion, it was just too soon to try adopting already.

Sharon listened quietly. She would be lying if she said she didn't agree. She remembered the reservations she had about them adopting Callie and Jude, but she had also been wrong. Callie and Jude were wonderful children and she was proud to be their grandmother.

"If I had known they were even thinking about it…" Dana said.

"Will you keep your voice down?" Sharon hissed as Dana continued to fuss. "It's not our decision to make."

Dana gave Sharon a hard look before turning away. "I'm tired of seeing them hurt," she said quietly.

Sharon's heart broke as she detected a tremor in her voice and she placed her hand on top of Dana's. "I know," she said. "But our girls have big hearts and we can't fault them for that."

* * *

Later that evening, after everyone had calmed down, Stef and Lena called a family meeting. They sat together in the middle of the sofa, Sharon and Dana on either side of them. All of the children were gathered around.

"Mama and I just wanted to talk to you all and make sure everyone is okay," Stef began. "I know Ana's news was probably hard for everyone." She looked at Mariana, but the girl refused to make eye contact.

"Can she really just change her mind like that?" Brandon asked.

"Well, everything happened kind of fast," Stef answered. "We didn't have any official paperwork yet so Ana is free to do whatever she thinks is best."

"Mom and I know that there has been a lot going on lately," Lena said, "but we all need to start being more honest with each other. No more secrets or lies. We're a family and if any one of us has a problem then we need to be honest about it. All of our decisions affect each other."

Everyone nodded.

"Okay. I think everyone should get some sleep," Lena said. "We can talk about it some more in the morning." She glanced over at her mother who was uncharacteristically quiet.

Everyone went upstairs to prepare for bed. Jude and Jesus had agreed to camp out in the living room so their grandmas could use their room.

Stef and Lena made their way into the kitchen for a cup of tea. "Can you believe we came back from a blissful week to all of this?" Stef said as she filled the kettle with water.

"I know," Lena sighed as she rested her chin in her hand. She sat up when she saw Mariana and Jesus enter the kitchen dressed in their pajamas. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Jesus took a seat at the table and Mariana stood quietly next to him. "We just wanted to apologize for not telling you that we had been in contact with our grandparents," Jesus said.

"Why didn't you just tell us?" Lena asked. Mariana had a habit of sneaking behind their backs and Jesus was always there to cover for her.

Mariana shrugged and looked away. Jesus sighed. "We didn't know that you guys had changed your minds about adopting the baby. We thought if we could talk to our grandparents that maybe they would want to," he explained.

Lena sighed. "This is why we can't keep secrets from each other," she told them. "Everyone ends up getting hurt when the truth comes out."

"Why don't you guys go on to bed," Stef said. "We'll talk more in the morning."

Mariana hesitated. "Ana said that she wanted to us to be a part of the baby's life. I want that," she said softly.

"Honey, your mom and I would never stop you from getting to know your family," Lena said. Mariana nodded and made her way out of the kitchen.

Stef rubbed Lena's back and pulled her into an embrace. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.

"I am. Are you?"

Stef closed her eyes and held her wife tighter. "As long as I have you, I'm okay."

 **The End.**


End file.
